Flier for covering spindles



April 1, 1941' o. w. SCHLUMS 2 7.

FLIER FOR COVERING SPINDLES Filed July 22, 1940 ,Z'TJO J flag d lams.

Patented Apr. 1, 1941 I UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 11 Claims.

This invention relates to the production of covered thread by winding one or more layers of yarn on a core thread of rubber or other suitable material. In the manufacture of such covered thread, the core thread is commonly drawn through a hollow fixed rod or spindle on which a package of covering yarn is rotatably mounted. The yarn package is positively rotated and the yarn is simultaneously drawn from the package and wound about the core thread as the latter is drawn through the hollow rod or spindle. A

' freely rotatable yarn guide termed a flier or traveler is mounted above the yarn package and guides the covering yarn from the package to the core thread.

It is the general object of my present invention to provide an improved construction of flier or traveler for such purposes, which will possess substantial advantages over the fliers heretofore used.

An important feature of my invention relates to the provision of a flier which may be left in position on a spindle when the yarn package is to be removed therefrom or replaced thereon.

A further object is to provide a foldable flier which is held in extended yarn-guiding position by centrifugal force only. I also provide means for applying a frictional drag to the flier and for varying the drag as occasion requires.

My invention further relates to arrangements and combinations of parts which will be hereinafter described and more particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

A preferred form of the invention is shown in the drawing, in which Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a covering spindle having my invention applied thereto and with certain parts shown in section;

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the flier;

Fig. 3 is a similar view, with the parts in folded position; and

Fig. 4 is a sectional side elevation, taken along the line 44 in Fig. 2.

Referring to the drawing, I have shown parts of a covering spindle comprising a hollow rod or tube Ill adapted to be mounted in fixed position and to form a guide for the core thread T, which may be of rubber or any other desired material and which is drawn upward at uniform speed during the covering operation.

A cylinder I2 is mounted to rotate about the axis of the tube I and is provided with a bottom flange I4 and with a driving Whirl or pulley I5. A packageof covering yarn is mounted on the cylinder I2 and commonly comprises a winding of yarn Y on a sleeve or tube l6 of pasteboard or other cheap material. The sleeve I6 fits snugly on the cylinder I2 and is frictionally rotated thereby.

The upper end of the cylinder I2 is preferably provided with a shallow annular recess 2i for clearance purposes, as will be described. A slightly tapered sleeve 20 is mounted to rotate with the cylinder I2 and has a slight clearance relative to the fixed tube III.

A cap 25 is mounted on the upper end of the fixed tube Ill and has a recessed lower portion which extends downward outside of the sleeve 20 and adjacent the upper end of the cylinder I2, as shown in Fig. 1..

My improved flier F comprises a plate 30 and, a guide wire 3 I. The plate 30 is preferably formed of thin sheet metal, such as copper, and has a projection 32 .at one side, to which the guide wire 3| is pivoted. The guide wire is very light and is pivotally secured to the plate 30 by passing a loop of the wire through an opening in the portion 32 and twisting the end of the wire around the straight part as indicated at 34. The annular recess 2| in the top of the cylinder I2 provides clearance for the looped and twisted wire.

The flier F is also provided with an extension 36 positioned opposite the projection 32 and guide member 3| and forming a counterbalance for these parts. The mass of the extension 36 may be reduced by providing one or more openings 31 therein, and the number and size of the openings may be varied to increase or decrease the drag of the flier.

The body of the plate 3%] is preferably provided with an annular offset portion 38, which increases the stiffness of the plate 30 and helps to retain it in a flat condition. The offset portion also assists in maintaining uniform drag.

The plate 30 is provided with an opening 39 which fits loosely over the upper end of the sleeve 2!] which rotates with the cylinder I2. The assembled operative position of the parts is as shown in Fig. 1, with the flier F loosely mounted on the sleeve 20 and also loosely positioned between the upper end of the cylinder I2 and the lower end of the cap 25. One or more friction washers 40 of paper or fibre may be interposed between the flier and the lower surface of the cap.

The outer end of the guide wire 3| is provided with a twist or pigtail 42 to receive the yarn Y, which will be guided thereby in its upward passage, as clearly shown in Fig. 1.

As the yarn package is rapidly rotated, the flier F will be carried around with the yarn and will or replacing ayarn package.

also be drawn outward or to the left as viewed in Fig. 1. The flier then engages the slightly tapered outer surface of the sleeve and the tendency of the flier on such engagement is to move upward and to frictionally engage the lower end of the fixed cap 25, either directly or through one or more washers 40. In either event, a sufficient frictional drag is applied to the flier F so that the yarn Y will be retarded and will be wound firmly and uniformly about the core thread T.

The guide wire 3| will normally be held in the extended position shown in Figs. 1 and 2 by the centrifugal force of the yarn Y. If it is desired, however, to remove the sleeve N5 of the yarn package from the cylinder iii, the guide wire 3l' may be swung inward or folded to the position shown in Fig. 3, in which position all parts of the plate 30 and guide wire 3i are within the periphery of the cylinder l2, so that the sleeve it may be removed or replaced without disturbing the flier F or requiring that it be removed from assembled relation with the covering spindle. After a new yarn package is placed on the cylinder l2, the guide wire 3i may be swung out ward and threaded for further covering operations.

Considerable time is saved by the use of my invention, as it is unnecessary to remove'the cap and flier F from the spindle when removing Furthermore, the fliers F, when thus removed in accordance with usual custom, were frequently lost or damaged, whereas such loss or damage is entirely avoided when the flier is left on the spindle.

Having thus described my invention and the advantages thereof, I do not wish to be limited to the details herein disclosed, otherwise than as set forth in the claims, but what I claim is:

V 1. In a yarn covering apparatus, a flier comprising a thin and substantially flat plate having anopening by which it may be centered on a positioning element, and a guide-wire pivotally connected to said plate and foldable relative thereto to an inoperative position.

2. In a yarn covering apparatus, a flier comprising a thin and substantially flat plate having an opening by which it may be centered on a positioning element, and a guide-wire mounted on said plate and extending outward therefrom when in use but foldable to an inoperative posi tion relative thereto.

3. In a yarn covering apparatus, a flier comprising a thin and substantially flat plate having an opening by which it may be: centered on a,

positioning element, and a guide-wire having an operative outwardly extended position and an inoperative inwardly folded position.

4. Ina yarn covering apparatus, a cylinder to support a yarn package, and a flier to guide yarn from said package and to friction-ally retard the yarn said flier having a guide-wire projecting beyond said package when said flier is in operation, but said guide wire being manually fol-dable to an inoperative position entirely within the pee,"

riphery of said cylinder to facilitate yarn package replacement without removal of said flier from said apparatus. r

-5. In a yarn covering apparatus, a cylinder to support a yarn package, a fixed thread-guiding tubular rod about the axis of which said cylin-i der is rotated, a cap fixed on said rod and spaced. from the upper end of said cylinder, an upwardly tapered device concentric with said rod and projecting above said cylinder, and a flier centered by said device between said cylinder and cap and. moved upward against the lower face of said cap by centrifugal force exerted by said flier against said upwardly tapered device when the flier is rotated.

6. In a yarn covering apparatus, a cylinder to support a yarn package, a fixed thread-guiding tubular rod about the axis of which said cylinder is rotated, a cap fixed on said rod and spaced from the upper end of said cylinder, an upwardly tapered device concentric with said rod and projecting above said cylinder, a flier centered by said device between said cylinder and cap and moved upward by centrifugal force exerted by said flier against said upwardly tapered device when the flier is rotated, and a friction washer interposed between said flier and the lower surface of said cap.

7. In a yarn covering apparatus, a spindle comprising an axially-extended element having a slight upward outer taper, a flier comprising a guide member and a thin and substantially flat plate pivotally mounted on said element and engaging its upwardly tapered external surface, and. a cap non-rotatably mounted above said flier, said flier when in operation moving upward under centrifugal force applied by said flier against said upwardly tapered surface and said flier frictionally engaging the lower surface of said fixed cap.

8. In a yarn covering apparatus, a flier comprising a flat metal plate with a central opening, a guide-wire, and a projection at one side of said plate in which said guide-wire is pivoted for swinging movement in the plane of the plate to a folded position.

9. In a yarn covering apparatus, a flier comprising a flat metal plate with a central opening, guide-wire, a projection at one side of said plate in which said guide-wire is pivoted for swinging movement in the plane of the plate to a folded position, and a counterbalancing extension at the opposite side of said plate having openings therein selectively sized to provide a desired counterbalanced effect.

10. In a yarn covering apparatus, a flier comprising a flatmetal plate with a central opening, a guide-wire, and a projection at one side of said plate in which said guide-wire is pivoted for swinging movement in the plane of the plate to a folded position, said plate having an annular upwardly displaced portion concentric with said central opening to provide increased stiffness for said plate.

11. In a yarn covering apparatus, a flier comprising a flat metal plate with a central opening, and a guide-wire looped through a perforation in said plate to form a pivotal connection with said plate and having its looped end twisted about said guide-wire to prevent displacement thereof.

O'I'IO W. SCIILUMS. 

